POA withdraws case against private prison

The Prison Officers Association has won the backing of the TUC and is seeking a meeting with Home Secretary Jack Straw.

The POA has told the Central Arbitration Committee not to proceed with its case against private prison company Premier Prison Services, after realising it was unlikely to win.

But Brian Caton, general secretary of the POA said it hasn’t given up its fight for recognition at Premier’s Doncaster Prison.

The argument centres around Premier’s decision to recognise the non-TUC Prison Services Union rather than the POA, despite the POA representing 86 per cent of prison officers at Doncaster (Personnel Today, 25 July).

Premier has acted within the law but the POA and TUC accuse it of being disingenuous and going against the spirit of the legislation.

Caton said they want the remit of the CAC expanded so it can use its judgement more.

Currently the CAC can only take into account the law when it looks at recognition cases.